This moist and chocolaty gluten free chocolate layer cake with raspberries is the ultimate birthday cake! Lots of cake layers, fresh raspberries, and sweet homemade chocolate buttercream frosting! It doesn't get any better than this.
If you love chocolate as much as we do, check out my best gluten free chocolate dessert recipes!
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It is still birthday month in our house, just about everyone has a summer birthday! That means lots of cake like this gluten free chocolate layer cake.
Gluten Free Birthday Cakes
Everyone has wanted something different for their birthday cake this year. You will remember my daughter's Gluten Free Lemon Layer Cake, we even got to use fresh lemons from our lemon tree.
My son's cake still needs to be written up on the blog! He wanted a moist vanilla cake. I used the recipe in this Gluten Free Raspberry Bundt Cake as the foundation for his cake (minus the raspberries!)
Then it was Mr. Fearless Dining's turn...he wanted chocolate and raspberries. I couldn't wait to share this easy chocolate layer cake recipe with you. Please remember that I am not a professional cake decorator, and I usually learn the hard way so don't forget to read down to see my frosting tips.
This gluten free chocolate birthday cake is pretty incredible...I think part of the success is because I found a seedless raspberry jam.
It really made all of the difference because you get all of the fresh raspberry flavors with no crunch from seeds!
(And don't get too bored because Mr. Fearless Dining ended up with two birthday parties this year, and two different cakes!! Stay tuned for this incredible gluten free carrot layer cake with cream cheese frosting recipe.
(His mom picked that flavor LOL. This picture is a preview. I tried to keep the calories down by cutting the sugar and keeping the sides of the cake naked.)
Overall, we had a great birthday party for Mr. Fearless Dining, the chocolate raspberry cake recipe was a huge hit with not only the gluten-free crowd but all of our non-gluten free foodies as well. I didn't get the pretty pictures of the cake sliced up.
There were too many fingers and forks trying to dive into the cake after we sang "Happy Birthday". My friends all laughed when I geeked out to take this one shot.
You may not need a cake quite this large. This gluten free chocolate raspberry cake has three giant layers. I had about 18 people over for the party, so I went all out to make this cake extra-large!
Mistakes aka Bloopers!
Here is where I tell you what not to do. First, my cake cracked. I am not quite sure why because it was baked at 350 degrees.
What do you do if your cake cracks?
- Piece the cake together the best you can. In this instance, the cake didn't break into parts.
- Use your frosting to fill the cracks to help solidify the cake
- Add layers and frost!
In hindsight, I wish I cut the top off to take some of the bulges off each layer. Second, I put the jam layer before the buttercream layer. That made it really hard to spread the buttercream because it was a lot thicker.
Instructions:
- Cut the domed top off each cake layer so the cake has a flat top.
- Add the frosting, then add the jam on top. It will spread a LOT easier this way. The jam made it all slippery!
Here is a close-up of that chocolate buttercream frosting. It was thick and creamy, yet was really easy to spread once I learned to do that layer first.
Are you ready to make this gluten free chocolate birthday cake?"
Tools:
- A mixer certainly makes this cake and frosting much easier to make!!
- My favorite gluten-free flour blend keeps this cake fluffy and light.
- I used three big cake pans like these. If you only have two, just reuse one to make that third layer.
๐ Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake
Easy chocolate and raspberry layer cake with a creamy buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 box chocolate pudding, I used the cook one
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 1/4 cups almond milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 14 ounces raspberry jam, FROSTING
- 4 cups powdered sugar, FROSTING
- 16 tablespoons softened butter, FROSTING
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, FROSTING
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, FROSTING
- 1/4 cup almond milk, FROSTING
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add egg, vanilla, almond milk, coconut oil, hot water to a mixer and mix on low until it is all blended.
- Turn the mixer off and add sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder and mix.
- Gradually add the flour, cake cocoa (not the cocoa labeled frosting), and pudding mix in small increments. Turn the blender off when you add more and mix on low.
- Grease layer cake pans with coconut oil and pour in cake batter about 3/4 the way to the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until done.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and dump out of the pans onto a cooling rack.
- To Make Frosting: In a mixer, add powdered sugar, cocoa, softened butter, vanilla, and almond milk. Mix up until it is creamy like frosting.
- When the cakes are cool, use a knife to remove any domed surface so the top of each layer is flat.
- Add chocolate cream and frost the first layer. Add some raspberry jam and spread it out over the frosting.
- Add the next cake layer and repeat the process.
- When you get to the top layer, skip the raspberry. Frost the top layer and sides with the chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Put the cake into the refrigerator for 30 minutes minimum to chill.
- Top with fresh raspberries.
Notes
Allow the cake layers to cool before adding frosting and building the cake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 506Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 298mgCarbohydrates: 80gFiber: 2gSugar: 60gProtein: 4g
**If your gluten free flour blend doesn't include Xanthan Gum, please add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon! **Please note this nutrition information is calculated by a recipe plugin and is an estimate based on the ingredients used in this recipe.
Karen
I know it won't be as attractive, but can this amount of batter be baked in a 9x13 pan?
Sandi Gaertner
Of course you can use a 9x13 pan :-). Just keep an eye because baking time may differ depending on the depth compared to a layer cake pan. Enjoy!
Natalie
Tried this recipe out a little skeptical because I have been trying to hone my gf and df baking skills and Pinterest just hasn't been a good place for quality recipes. BUT WOW. This was wonderful. My whole GF DF family was very impressed and even made it their self proclaimed favorite cake since they have been on the diet. It was gone in 2 days
Thanks
Sandi Gaertner
I am really glad you liked it Natalie. Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Kelli
I think I am missing something. When do you add the pudding mix and the first 1/2 cup of cocoa?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Kelli, Thank you so much for your note. I clarified the directions a little more. I hope this helps.
Martine vagnier
This looks amazing. Can you please break out the frosting recipes? I only see listed certain types of different icings but no directions and quantities for each broken out, hope this makes sense.
And thanks for sharing the bloopers- saves many people a lot of aggravation.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Martine, I broke it out and clarified the instructions around making the frosting. I also bolded FROSTING next to frosting ingredients. I hope this helps :-). I am glad you liked the included blooper, I really should add those more often. Have a great weekend!
Ginny McMeans
That is an absolutely gorgeous big chocolate cake. The added raspberry jam layers sound just perfect. I think I can use chia eggs in this so I am going for it. Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Ginny. I would think chia eggs would be fabulous.
Joyce @ Pups with Chopsticks
I definitely need to find that seedless raspberry jam! I personally hate chewing on the seeds but I love raspberry jam and I had no idea that a seedless version was available! The combination with the chocolate cake is amazing!! Love!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Joyce...I hate those seeds too!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Oh my, this looks so delicious! I don't think I've ever met a chocolate cake I didn't like. But pair it with raspberry and buttercream frosting? Heaven. Yes, heaven. I can't wait to try this.
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Elaine ๐
Rae
Normally gluten-free cakes don't look very light and airy, but this cake look absolutely perfect! I'll have to look into that gluten free flour.
Sandi Gaertner
Awe, thank you so much Rae. This cake is very light and airy ๐
Kelly @ trial and eater
I love getting to see behind the scenes of when things don't go perfectly in the kitchen! Though your final product looks great!
Sandi Gaertner
LOL, that crack in the cake almost gave me a heart attack ๐
Jagruti
I am not very good at decorating cakes either, let me assure you have done a brilliant job here, the cake looks so delicious!
Sandi Gaertner
That is so sweet Jagruti. Thank you so much ๐